Social Media and Heroes, an Outline

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Recommended: How does the media influence public perception

Definitions of key terms:
• Media is a group including TV networks, radio stations, newspaper, and movie studios that produce and reinforce widely held stereotypes of different sexes.
• Severely lessen means putting less stereotypical contents in the media.
• Superhero is someone with super ability, which is beyond what ordinary human possesses.
• Stereotype is an assumption of behaviors and traits that distinguishes certain group of people such as, males from females.

Preview of contentions (roadmap): First, we will talk how today’s media limit superheroes context into two categories: “slacker” and “macho.” Second, we will discuss how media is pervasive and influential in reinforcing stereotypical gender behaviors and characteristics. Lastly, we will provide a solution to lessen stereotypical contents in superheroes stories through the media.

Contention one: PROBLEM

I. Claim: The media glorifies “slacking off” or being “slackers” as common and acceptable when boys cannot win or dominate all the time (Packaging Boyhood, 2009).
A. Evidence (grounds): According to National Center of Educational Statistics, boys are more likely to fall behind girls in educational achievement (2009). They are more likely to be suspended, expelled, and in need of special education (Sage Journals, 2010).
1. Reasoning: The media expects boys to succeed in everything except in school by knowing how to win the game through physical aggression, not through studying hard (Packaging Boyhood, 2009). They are promised to be wealthy and successful when they are the “top dog” or know how to “play” people around (Packaging Boyhood, 2009).

B. Evidence: According to Deseret News, women outperformed men in earning both bachelor’s degree and master’s degree (2012). Females’ graduation rate is 56.4%, and 50.1% for males in The U.S. (Deseret News, 2012).
1. Reasoning: Sitting in a classroom too long to listen to teachers’ lectures is seemed to be more of a “feminine” activity for girls. Boys are not expected to excel in education as much as girls (Sage Journals, 2010).

II. Claim: Today’s superheroes emphasize competition, domination, and possession of wealth (WebMD Health News, 2010) and appealing physical appearances (Student Pulse, 2010).
A. Evidence: According to the consulting firm, Packaged Facts, teenagers between the ages 12-17 in The U.S. have spent more than $200 billion in products (2011).
1. Reasoning: Today’s superhero image shows masculinity through dominating others and having abundance of material possessions (WebMD Health News, 2010). Boys show their powers through their ways of spending money in buying the latest “cool” and innovative gadgets (Packaging Boyhood, 2009). As shown in today’s superheroes context, Batman is infamously surrounded with hot girls and expensive cars, and Iron Man with his latest gadgets and contemporary house on the hills.

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